Carrot and Turnip Soup with Pine Nuts

What a wonderful winter soup! Root veggies are fantastic in winter and so reasonably priced. This soup includes small turnips, carrots, loads of fresh ginger, spices and topped with toasted pine nuts. A perfect lunch or dinner with a salad.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Butter

1 Large Onion

1/2 Teaspoon Yellow Mustard Seeds

2 Cloves fresh Garlic

2 Tablespoons of Ginger

1 Teaspoon of Curry Powder

1 Teaspoon of ground Coriander

1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric

3 Tablespoons of fresh Cilantro

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Fresh ground Pepper

1 Stalk of Celery, chopped

4-5 small or 2-3 medium turnips

2 large or 4 medium carrots

3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable broth

2 Cups Boiling water

1-2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1/3 Cup thick cream such as whipping cream or sour cream

1/2 Cup Pine Nuts, toasted

Fresh cilantro to garnish

Method:

Heat oil and butter together on medium heat

Dice and add the onion and cook over medium-low heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning

Add the mustard seeds and cook through until they sizzle and pop, about a minute

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute

Add the dry spices and chopped cilantro and stir through the above mixture

Add the chopped celery, then add the chopped turnip and carrots and stir to combine with the spice mixture

Add the liquid broth and water and bring to a light boil

Cover and simmer for about 35-40 minutes

Cool, then mash the vegetables

With an immersion blender, or any blender, half-puree the soup leaving chunks of veggies

Add lemon juice to taste

Then the cream

Heat through and to with toasted pine nuts and some chopped cilantro

Toasted Pine Nuts

Be very careful when toasting these little gems as they burn quickly!

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes

Add the pine nuts and shake and pan as they brown ever so slightly

The whole process takes a few minutes, but never leave them alone on the stove!